Cadmium Amalgam

Amalgams of mercury and cadmium readily crystallize. They can be made in almost any proportions. They are tin or silvery-white in color and, when heated, become soft and can be kneaded. These amalgams are useful as metallic fillings and stoppings for a variety of purposes.
When mercury is completely saturated with cadmium, the resulting amalgam has the composition: mercury 78.26 parts, cadmium 21.74 parts. This amalgam is tin-white, crystalline, and, although it is somewhat brittle, it softens, like all cadmium amalgams, when heated, so much so that it can be kneaded like wax. This amalgam is sometimes used by dentists for filling teeth.